


A Brother In Need, A Brother Without, A City Falls

by Gemini_00



Series: Batfamily Shorts [53]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Red Robin (Comics), Robin Eternal
Genre: Bat Family, Batfamily, Brotherly Bonding, Emotional, Family Feels, Gen, Good Brother Tim Drake, Hurt Damian Wayne, Hurt Tim Drake, Hurt/Comfort, Protective, Sick Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-14
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-03-05 13:05:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18829246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gemini_00/pseuds/Gemini_00
Summary: “Drake,” Damian’s voice sounded small.“Does it hurt?” Tim asked, making out Damian’s figure a little better with the tad bit of light coming through from the morning. That meant sun was rising.“Worse,” Damian cracked a tad, “I can’t feel it anymore.”Tim swallowed hard trying to remember what that could mean.A lot of it is bad and the possibilities of it being good aren’t well known enough to Tim to truly voice. Besides, doesn’t Damian have the knowledge of a medical student- he already knows what it could mean and that’s why he sounds so blatantly fearful. Nothing Tim can say will take that fear or risk away. Tim grabbed the small hand.





	A Brother In Need, A Brother Without, A City Falls

Tim didn’t like being crushed by a building. He didn’t like being crushed by a building with Damian Wayne of all people. But now he had a miniature assassin whose leg’s stuck under rubble as well as Tim’s own head injury.

 

“Have you obtained phone signal yet?” Damian snapped, furrowly refusing Tim’s supposedly  _ inadequate  _ care. Tim doesn’t want to admit it but he hadn’t found out a way to make the ruined comms connect with the ruined phones. 

 

Instead he says, “This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t chosen to remove your tracker and run out.”

 

Damian clicks his tongue, “And where is yours?”

 

Tim glared at the boy, yet put away his phone for the moment. The light was beginning to hurt his eyes or it was the aching headaches… He wasn’t sure, but he did know that he didn’t like Damian acting like they were on the same level.  _ Tim was older and more capable and more responsible. _

 

“You’re ten,” Tim snapped.

 

“Yet here we are both stuck and alone while Gotham and Father need  _ Robin,”  _ Damian made sure to add extra emphasis on Robin. Little brat did this to himself, Tim should’ve let him be.  _ But then his little brother (as bratty and demonic as he is) would be stuck in the rest of Gotham rubble alone where Tim can’t force his care upon a damaged leg. _

  
  
  


Tim is pretty sure that two hours have past and so far he has tried to keep himself and Damian awake. Tim thinks they both have a fairly mild concussion, and Damian’s crushed and gravel burned leg aren’t helping.

 

“Demon, you’re not allowed to fall asleep,” Tim snapped though he wanted to close his eyes too. Thank god for the coffee he had right before this shit went down.

 

“I’m not,” Damian grumbled but sleep was etched in his voice.

 

“Lets play a game,” Tim said because they needed to stay awake. They needed to just stay okay until Bruce or Dick or Jason or  _ someone  _ found them.

 

“I don’t play games,” Damian slurred.

 

“You’ll like this one,” Tim promised, “It will help with finding lies and manipulation that you’ll need in cases. B made us play it.”

Actually it was an icebreaker game that Tim learned in the second grade but he can’t see Damian reacting well to that. Besides the kid’s so anal and controling that it should help keep his mind alert and searching for errors in Tim’s sentences. Anything to keep the kid awake. When the brat falls asleep then Tim won’t be far behind.

 

“What’s the training?” Damian tried to pretend that the pain in his voice wasn’t there when he shuffled a bit.

 

“Two Truths and a Lie,” Tim answered.

  
  


The game distraction only lasted so long and still there had been no evidence or noises from above that indicated anybody was close to finding them. Except for one noise that caused Tim to start screaming, but that was a long time ago and Tim felt like he was losing track of time and wakefulness as the caffeine wore off. Damian’s haggard breathing was the only thing keeping him awake as Tim hopes that the shakes going through him are just caffeine withdrawal while stressed and not that he is running out of his antibiotics without a spleen.

 

“Drake,” Damian’s voice sounded small.

 

“Does it hurt?” Tim asked, making out Damian’s figure a little better with the tad bit of light coming through from the morning. That meant sun was rising.

 

“Worse,” Damian cracked a tad, “I can’t feel it anymore.”

 

Tim swallowed hard trying to remember what that could mean.A lot of it is bad and the possibilities being good aren’t well known enough to Tim to truly voice. Besides, doesn’t Damian have the knowledge of a medical student- he already knows what it could mean and that’s why he sounds so blatantly fearful. Nothing Tim can say will take that fear or risk away. Tim grabbed the small hand.

  
  
  


It’s cold. Gotham mornings are cold and Damian is use to the desert, Tim thinks. Damian is probably getting in infection as he is covered in sweat and shaking just a bit but a tad more energetic, but the kid could be focusing on his breathing and health. That doesn’t mean it isn’t cold. Tim shuffled forward.

 

“You don’t have a spleen,” Damian said yet moved as close as he could to the body heat.

 

“I’ll be fine brat,” Tim said, “We’ll be found soon.”

 

“You don’t know that,” Damian snapped. Tim has to remind himself that he is a ten year old kid with an injury and is most likely use to Talia skipping out when times get hard. He did climb a mountain with a broken arm after all.

 

“Yeah I do. I found you didn’t I?” Tim snorted. The little brat didn’t realize just how much the big brother instinct could kick in. Tim didn’t either until Damian was gone and Tim chased after him.

 

“Why did you come looking for me?” Damian snapped, “There’s no reason. It was stupid of you. You’re so dumb. Now we are both stuck and father could be without us both. Who will be Robin if we both perish? Todd and Grayson will hardly both still fit in those scaley short shorts.”

 

“Maybe Titus can be Robin,” Tim joked. There was a small snort that came from Damian and Tim can count that as a win right now.

  
  
  


They’ve gone without water too long, no food, and no medication. Tim can feel the effects taking on right now whether it be fear, illness, or dehydration. Damian seemed to be in charge of keeping them both awake right now.

 

“Drake if you fall asleep then you failed Father, Grayson, and Gotham,” Damian snapped, “Stay awake you stupid imbecile.”

 

“I saved you,” Tim slurred, “No fail.”

 

“Tt,” Damian clicked his tongue, “My leg may need amputation and were both stuck under nearly four ton of concrete. You have not saved me yet. If you disobey me then I shall cause harm in order to wake you up.”

 

The sharp pinch to Tim’s side proved it. He rolled his eyes but tried to stay awake.  Somebody would come.

  
  
  


He’s barely awake. Damian’s pinches are becoming few and far between with less pressure meaning the kid was losing it too. Kids can’t go as long as Damian has gone without symptoms becoming severe.

 

BUZZ

 

“Do you hear that?” Damian asked, “Tim, am I hearing things?”

BUZZ. The atmosphere changes and dirt and gravel fall down the cracks a bit, but the pressure does not become much worse. Fresher air begins to fill the area.

 

“I hear them,” Someone yelled, “Their heartbeats are stronger now!”

 

Kon.

 

“The clone came,” Damian whispered, while moving to sit up more.

 

“Be careful,” Jason yelled. Tim could hear Jason’s snappy yet worried voice, “All it takes is one wrong move and the shrimps are pancakes.”

 

The family has to be there, Tim thinks. All he wants is for his dad to be there when they get out. He wants to scream for Todd to grab Bruce but he feels like any energy has been drained from his body. 

 

“Drake, stay awake,” Damian’s pinched voice snapped, “Idiot! We’re about to be safe! Stop it!”

 

Those pinches are back but Tim can’t keep his eyes open. He got Damian through it, Kon is coming to save the day, Bruce and Dick can take care of the rest. Tim has to sleep now. If he wakes up, then things will be really good.

 

“Stop it. Drake! Tim! Akhi! Akhi!” Damian was pleading. Tim held the kid closer a tad, covering his face from the rubble falling through the cracks. It’s getting faster which means Kon is listening in. He better grab the kid first.

  
  
  


When Tim wakes back up, it’s in the hospital. A real hospital room with IVs and monitors that weren’t covered in Batman propaganda. Tim can recall the moments, less so towards the end which means the concussion wasn’t as severe as he originally thought. 

 

“Not even going to notice me?” Jason asked. It takes Tim a moment to look over at him without feeling dizzy or nauseous. He’s pretty sure he’ll get sick soon. But first he needs a drink of water and Jason is on top of that with the water cup and straw. Tim nearly drinks it all in one gulp until Jason reminds him to take it slow.

 

“How you feel?” Jason asked.

 

“I’ve been worse,” Tim answered, “Where is-”

 

“The kid wants to see you,” Jason cut him off, “He’s pissed. B and Dickie and I have been switching shifts between making sure the brat with a broken leg and small infection doesn’t crawl over here and make anything worse while also waiting for your idiotic ass to wake up. Seriously, start carrying that medication with you. Haven’t you learned that when you chase after the brat that it will always end badly.”

 

Tim rolled his eyes, “Shouldn’t we call in the doctor? I just woke up from a coma afterall.”

 

“You were dehydrated and exhausted with a minor concussion,” Jason smirked, “You wish you were in a coma. They’d be a lot nicer if you were replacement.”

 

“Would you?” Tim dared to ask.

 

Jason gave a wolfish grin that usually meant he was going to make a dead joke, “You didn’t die.”

 

Bingo.

 

“How was Damian?” He asked.

 

“Infection wasn’t as bad as it looked,” Jason shrugged, “Dickie and B will attempt to bench him for two month but we both know how that will last. I think he has some of Talia’s old healing methods up his sleeve.”

 

Tim took a deep breath, “But his leg is fine.”

 

“Some nerve damage and panic. His mind played some tricks on him but the brat is alive. Not that the devil can die or anything,” Jason said, “Ya’ did good replacement.”

 

“Yeah. Well, I learned from the best,” Tim told his black sheep of an older brother that liked to act like he could care less. But if that was the case, then why watch over his replacement.

 

“Golden Boy has that affect,” Jason chose to say.

 

“Yeah. Him too,” Tim smirked. Jason looked like he was seconds from protesting when Dick craddled one pissed off Damian Wayne in his arms.

 

“Timmy! I just found Lil D trying to limp his way over to see you. He’s sneaky but he chose to not use the wheel chair so I caught him in time!” Dick grinned as he ran in.

 

“I’ll use your stupid wheelchair if you put me down you overgrown toddler!” Damian shrieked. The loudness of the two hurt Tim’s head as he flinched from Dick’s prouncing and cheering. Still, if Tim asked either of the two to quiet it down then they would somehow get louder. Dick nearly threw Damian on the bed and Tim nearly threw up form how fast he had to move from being the cushion of a small child.

 

“We were so worried about you, isn’t that right Dami?” Dick smirked, “Although I’m going to start sewing your antibiotics into your pockets.”

 

“Dick!” Tim groaned at the man’s mother henning.

 

“I’m going to go get Bruce,” Jason sighed, “I’ll leave the mushy stuff to Dick.”

 

The older man pouted, “Little wing feels neglected because I had to focus all of my loving attention onto my littlest brothers!”

 

Jason flipped him off as he left the room.

 

“Shame on you, Timothy!” Damian crossed his arms, “You fell asleep leaving me to bear the burden that is Grayson’s coddling.”

 

“He loved it,” Dick grinned, “And he was worried about you Babybird! We spent the entire morning cuddlign by your bedside!”

 

“I was restrained while Grayson used my physical condition to his advantage. I was simply replaying you with my attentive care,” Damian retorted.

 

The fact that Damian glaring at Tim while the teenager was connected to a bunch of medical supplies is oddly comforting now than terrifying shows how far the two had come in their relationship.

 

“Er, thanks,” Tim said, “Guys, my head hurts and I think I’m going to throw up. Also I should probably see the doctor.”

 

“I’ll go get her,” Dick nodded before skipping off to find whoever had been caring for him which left the two youngest alone.

 

“You were really worried about me?” Tim asked Damian. The boy glared with crossed arms and a pinched face, “You were my first thought to when I woke up.” 

 

“You’re a damn idiot Drake!” Damian snapped, “You just- you- you fell asleep after everything that just happened! Your stupid friend came to save us and you fell asleep! I thought your stupid immune system let you die and It would be my fault because you ran after me! You just went to sleep as if- as if nothing we did that day meant a damn thing!”

 

“I’m sorry,” Tim said. It sounded funny to be apologizing for Damian for an illness that Tim has no control over as Tim had spent the better part of the past day and half trying to keep Damian alive after the little brat ran out. But, Tim fell asleep after swearing to keep Damian safe. And now Tim is faced with a little kid that he scared the crap out of because he couldn’t stay awake… and It made Tim feel like he was the one in the wrong. After all, he was the big brother and even if Damian doesn’t need him to scare the boogie man under the bed away, that doesn’t mean he can’t protect the kid from fears, “I won’t do it again.”

 

“It would be childish to ask you to swear that to me,” Damian said.

 

“I promise I won’t scare you like that again,” Tim said even though it was empty. In their lives it was dangerous to promise that you’d be home or your heart would keep beating. But Tim can promise to try and do everything not to scare Damian like that again.

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
